Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 260: Mine and Yours

Midnight

11:46 PM.

Luca slipped out of bed carefully, holding his breath as Noel shifted but didn’t wake.

The apartment was dark, quiet except for the distant hum of the city outside.

He padded barefoot to the balcony door, sliding it open just enough to slip through.

Cold air hit him immediately, sharp and bracing, but he ignored it.

The balcony looked perfect.

String lights hung along the railing, wrapped around the small posts, casting everything in warm golden light.

Photos were clipped to a line he’d strung up earlier—printed memories suspended in the glow.

He checked each one, making sure they were secure.

The first photo from their dorm days, both of them younger, less certain.

The movie ticket stub from their first outing as friends.

A blurry screenshot from a video call when Noel had gone home, Luca alone in the dorm missing him.

Their first official date. The hiking trip where they’d worn matching sun and moon shirts.

A candid shot from the library, Noel studying while Luca had pretended to read but was really just watching him.

All of it. Their whole story, hanging in the cold December air.

Satisfied, Luca slipped back inside and headed to the kitchen.

The fridge hummed softly as he opened it.

He moved aside drinks, shifted containers, reaching toward the back where he’d hidden it.

The cake.

Small, simple, chocolate with "Happy Birthday Noel" written in neat script across the top.

He checked the candles in his pocket. Lighter. Everything was ready.

11:58.

Luca moved back to the bedroom, heart beating faster now.

Noel was still asleep, face peaceful, one arm stretched across Luca’s empty side of the bed like he was searching even in sleep.

"Noel," Luca whispered, crouching beside the bed.

No response.

"Noel." A little louder, hand on his shoulder.

Noel stirred, eyes fluttering open, confused. "Mm?"

"Come with me."

"What..." Noel’s voice was rough with sleep. "What time is it?"

"Almost midnight. Come on." Luca grabbed his hand, pulling gently.

Noel sat up slowly, hair sticking up in every direction, squinting in the darkness. "Why are you....it’s still dark."

"Trust me."

"Luca..."

"Please?"

Something in Luca’s voice must have convinced him.

Noel swung his legs out of bed, reaching for his winter jacket that hung on the chair.

"Close your eyes," Luca said.

"You’re not serious."

"I am. Close them."

Noel sighed but complied, letting Luca guide him through the apartment, one hand on his arm, the other on his back.

They reached the balcony door. Luca slid it open, cold air rushing in.

"It’s freezing," Noel muttered.

"Almost there."

He positioned Noel carefully, facing out toward the city, then stepped back to grab the cake from inside.

11:59.

Luca lit the single candle, the small flame flickering in the breeze, and moved back to stand beside Noel.

"Okay," he said softly. "Open your eyes."

Noel opened them.

For a moment, he just stood there, taking it in—the lights, the photos swaying gently in the breeze, the decorated balcony transformed into something magical.

And then, exactly at midnight, the sky erupted.

Fireworks bloomed across the city—bright bursts of color against the dark, distant celebrations of Christmas beginning, the collective joy of thousands of people welcoming the holiday.

Luca started singing, voice quiet but clear in the cold night air.

"Happy birthday to you..."

Noel turned to him, eyes wide.

"Happy birthday to you..."

The cake glowed between them, a single candle fighting the wind.

"Happy birthday, dear Noel..."

Noel’s expression was doing something complicated—somewhere between overwhelmed and trying not to cry.

"Happy birthday to you."

Luca held out the cake. "Make a wish first. Before you blow it out."

"Luca—"

"Make a wish."

Noel looked at him, then at the cake, then closed his eyes.

Luca watched him—the way his face softened, the small crease between his eyebrows, the way his lips moved slightly like he was saying the wish in his mind.

He pulled out his phone, snapping a photo quickly.

The image captured everything—Noel with his eyes closed, the candle’s glow on his face, the lights behind him, the genuine unguarded moment.

Perfect.

Noel opened his eyes and blew out the candle.

The flame died, a thin trail of smoke curling up into the cold air.

"Merry Christmas," Luca said softly, setting the cake down on the small table. "And happy birthday, dummy."

"You did all this?" Noel’s voice was quiet, almost reverent.

"Yeah."

"The lights. The photos. Everything?"

"Jordan helped me pick up some stuff, but yeah. I wanted..." Luca reached into his jacket pocket. "I wanted it to be special. Because you’re special."

He pulled out a small wrapped box.

Noel took it carefully, like it might break. "Luca, you didn’t have to..."

"Just open it."

Noel unwrapped it slowly, revealing a simple black box. Inside, nestled in velvet, was a watch.

Not overly fancy, but elegant—silver with a black face, clean lines, classic design. But it was the back that mattered.

Noel turned it over.

Engraved in small, precise letters: *Every moment with you matters. - L*

And beneath that, even smaller, coordinates. Their apartment’s location.

"So whenever you check the time," Luca said, suddenly feeling self-conscious, "you’ll think of me. Of us. Of home."

Noel stared at the watch, thumb tracing over the engraving.

"And I know you’re always worried about being late to everything," Luca continued, words coming faster now, "so now you have no excuse. Plus it’s practical. You like practical things. And I figured....."

Noel pulled him into a hug so sudden and tight that Luca’s breath left in a rush.

"It’s perfect," Noel said against his shoulder, voice muffled and shaking slightly. "You’re perfect. This is—I don’t know what to say."

"You don’t have to say anything."

"I love you."

"I know."

"No, I really—" Noel pulled back, and his eyes were shining. "I really love you. So much it’s actually terrifying sometimes."

Luca smiled, cupping his face. "Good. Be terrified."

Noel laughed, the sound caught between emotion and relief.

"Wait here," he said suddenly, stepping back. "Don’t move. I’ll be right back."

"Noel?"

But he was already gone, disappearing back into the apartment.

Luca stood on the balcony, confused, watching through the glass as Noel moved through the bedroom, opening drawers, searching for something.

A minute passed. Then another.

"Noel?" Luca called again.

No answer.

Finally, Noel returned, cheeks flushed, breathing slightly unsteady.

And in his hand was a small velvet box.

Luca’s heart stopped.

"Noel," he said slowly. "What’s...is that..."

Noel opened the box.

Inside was a ring. Simple, silver, beautiful in its understated elegance.

Luca froze. "Are you...."

"It’s not what you think," Noel said quickly.

"It’s a ring box. From your hand. What am I supposed to think?"

"It’s not an engagement ring."

"It’s not?" Luca heard the disappointment in his own voice and couldn’t hide it.

Noel stepped closer, taking the ring out carefully. "It’s a matching ring. For both of us. I have one too." He held up his other hand, showing an identical silver band already on his finger.

Luca stared.

"It’s not a proposal," Noel continued, voice quiet but steady. "It’s... a promise. A claim, maybe. You’re mine, and I’m yours, and I wanted something that showed that. Something we could both wear."

"A claim," Luca repeated, the word settling somewhere deep in his chest.

"Yeah. Is that...is that okay?"

Luca looked at the ring, then at Noel, then back at the ring.

"You scared the life out of me," he said, voice shaking between laughter and something else.

"I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t think—"

"I thought you were proposing."

"I know."

"In your pajamas. On our balcony. At midnight."

"I panicked," Noel admitted. "You did all of this and I just—I wanted to give you something too."

Luca took Noel’s wrist, pulling him closer. "You’re ridiculous."

"And you love me."

"Unfortunately." But he was smiling. "Put it on me."

Noel’s hands shook slightly as he took Luca’s left hand, sliding the ring onto his finger.

It fit perfectly.

Of course it did.

Luca held up his hand, watching how the silver caught the light from the string bulbs, the distant fireworks still painting the sky in bursts of color.

"How long have you had this?" he asked.

"A few weeks. I was going to give it to you on New Year’s, but..." Noel shrugged. "This felt right."

"It is right." Luca pulled him close, pressing their foreheads together. "Thank you. For this. For claiming me. For being mine."

"I’ve been yours," Noel whispered. "For a while now."

"I know."

They stood like that, wrapped in each other, the city celebrating around them, fireworks continuing to light up the sky in celebration of Christmas beginning.

"I’m freezing," Luca said eventually, teeth starting to chatter.

"You’re wearing a t-shirt."

"I was focused on the romantic gesture. Forgot about practicality."

"That sounds like you." But Noel was already unwrapping his arms, opening his large winter jacket. "Come here."

He pulled Luca against him, wrapping the jacket around both of them, Luca’s back to his chest, his arms encircling Luca completely.

"Warm?" Noel asked against his ear.

"Yeah," Luca breathed, leaning back into him.

They stayed like that, watching the fireworks continue—distant celebrations, people welcoming Christmas, the world moving forward while they stood still in their own perfect moment.

"Best Christmas ever." Luca said quietly.

"Best birthday," Noel confirmed.

Another burst of color across the sky—gold, then blue, then red, cascading down in glittering streams.

"We should go inside soon," Noel said. "Before we actually freeze."

"Five more minutes."

"You always say that."

"Because I always mean it."

Noel tightened his arms. "Five more minutes."

They watched three more rounds of fireworks before the cold became too much to ignore.

Luca grabbed the cake carefully, and they slipped back inside, the warmth of the apartment a shock after the cold.

"We should save this for tomorrow," Luca said, putting the cake back in the fridge. "When we’re actually awake enough to appreciate it."

"Good idea."

They went through the motions of getting ready for bed—turning off lights, checking that Luca Jr. had food and water, locking the door.

In the bedroom, they stripped down to comfortable sleep clothes and climbed under the covers.

Luca immediately curled into Noel’s side, their new rings catching the small amount of light from the window.

"Thank you," Noel said quietly into the darkness. "For tonight. For everything. For loving me enough to do all of this."

"Thank you for being worth it."

"Sap."

"You love it."

"I do."

Luca smiled against his shoulder, exhaustion finally catching up with him. "Happy birthday, Noel."

"Happy Christmas, Luca."

Outside, the fireworks had finally stopped.

The city was settling into its holiday quiet.

Inside, wrapped in each other and the warmth of what they’d built together, they drifted toward sleep.

The rings on their fingers caught the moonlight—matching promises, matching claims.

Mine and yours.

Ours.

Perfect.